Marc-André ter Stegen expressed his relief and satisfaction at being named Germany's number one goalkeeper, a role he has waited 12 years to achieve. On Thursday, Ter Stegen described the announcement as "a balm for the soul."
Ter Stegen, who was first called into the Germany squad in 2012, will officially take over as Germany's permanent number one goalkeeper for their upcoming match against Hungary in Düsseldorf on Saturday. This announcement follows Julian Nagelsmann’s decision to name Joshua Kimmich as Germany’s new captain, replacing Ilkay Gündogan.
The 32-year-old goalkeeper, who currently captains Barcelona, has enjoyed a successful career at the club level, winning the 2015 UEFA Champions League, five La Liga titles, and five Copa del Rey trophies. He joined Barcelona from Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2014 and has made 40 appearances for Germany. Despite his accomplishments, Ter Stegen was unable to surpass Manuel Neuer as Germany's first-choice goalkeeper until now.
With Neuer’s retirement from international football in August, Ter Stegen remarked that being recognized as Germany's main goalkeeper is "a different feeling." He shared his feelings from Germany's camp in Herzogenaurach, stating, "I'm glad the wait is over," and noted that the praise he has received since his appointment was "a balm for the soul."
Ter Stegen admitted that he managed his frustrations "professionally," even though there were times he felt disheartened by the repeated setbacks. He added, "there were always moments where you said 'wow, that's another blow.'"
Following their game against Hungary, Germany will travel to Amsterdam to face the Netherlands on Tuesday.
